French Open: Flawless Sinner ousts Novak Djokovic to set up final vs Carlos Alcaraz
World No.1 Jannik Sinner continued his dominating run over Novak Djokovic and stormed into the final of the French Open 2025. After Italy's Lorenzo Musetti had a heartbreaking end after having to retire from his semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner managed to keep the Italian flag flying high at Roland Garros.On Friday, June 6, Sinner took three hours and 16 minutes to beat Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) at Court Philippe-Chatrier. It was Sinner's fourth consecutive win over the 24-time Grand Slam champion, with Djokovic last winning in the 2023 ATP Finals. Djokovic's wait to win his 25th Grand Slam was also prolonged after he last won a major at the US Open in 2023.advertisementFrench Open 2025, men's singles semi-finals Highlights
As far as Sinner is concerned, he will face Alcaraz in the summit clash on Sunday, June 8, in a bid to win his maiden French Open title. Last year, Sinner lost to Alcaraz in the semifinals at Roland Garros and also went down to him in the Italian Open 2025 final recently. Now, Sinner has a chance to make amends.'It was such a special occasion for me, playing against Novak in the semi-final of a Grand Slam. It's just amazing, and I had to step up and play the best tennis I could. I'm very happy how I handled the situation, but this shows again what a role model he is for all of us and especially for us young players," Sinner said in the on-court interview. advertisement'What he is doing is incredible, and I wish him only the best for the rest of the season. I think we are all very lucky to see him playing such high-level tennis, it's amazing,' Sinner added. Sinner dictates termsSinner was dominating right from the word go as he claimed an early break to go 3-2 in the opening set. In the seventh game, Djokovic survived a huge scare as he saved two break points to hold his serve. But he couldn't earn the break back as Sinner went on to claim the set without having to break a sweat. Djokovic tried to use the drop shots to deceive Sinner, but the latter didn't let the Serb much breathing space.The second set was a roller-coaster ride for both players. At 3-3, Sinner again went ahead with his second break of the match. But Djokovic bounced back brilliantly to break Sinner's serve for the first time since the Davis Cup 2023. At 4-5, 40-15, Djokovic missed out on the first break point chance but converted the second to stay alive in the set.The 38-year-old Djokovic also showed incredible agility as he fetched a point through a 26-shot rally. Meanwhile, after dropping his serve, Sinner immediately stormed back to earn the break back, after which he held his serve to claim the second set.advertisementAt the end of the set, Djokovic took a medical timeout, where he got treated on his right leg. It was in the second set that he called for treatment during the changeover.And Jannik has yet to lose a set #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/K7wrKpRYVO— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2025Djokovic goes down fightingDjokovic upped his game in the third set to try and push Sinner under pressure. Despite being 0-2 down after the first two sets, the veteran kept pushing more and more. Leading 5-4 in the set, Djokovic gave himself an excellent chance of winning the set and taking the match into the fourth set. But Sinner showed nerves of steel to save three set points.Sinner then held his serve to take the set into a tie-breaker. In the tie-breaker, Sinner took a 3-0 lead to push Djokovic right back on the backfoot. From there on, he didn't look back and closed out the match comfortably.OH. MY. NOVAK. DJOKOVIC.#RolandGarros https://t.co/Eg3siUds3i pic.twitter.com/8ijEE52CU8— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2025Djokovic was let down big time by the 53 unforced errors he made, 17 more than Sinner. Sinner also dominated with 10 aces and 44 winners. For the first time since the 2013 US Open, both the men's and women's singles finals will have World No.1 and 2s.
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Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Coco Gauff's resilience wins her the French Open crown
New Delhi: After just 19 minutes into the French Open women's final at the Philippe-Chatrier court, with the score at 1-4, Coco Gauff was looking like she would be blown off the court by the power of Aryna Sabalenka. For the first time in seven years, the best two women's players in the world were meeting in a Grand Slam final but it was looking like a mismatch. But it's not about how you start, it's how you finish. The slow start gave way to an incredible resilience, grit and tennis smarts in a match that wasn't high on quality but brutal from the physical and emotional point of view. It ended with the 21-year-old American winning a topsy-turvy roller coaster battle 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in 2 hours and 38 minutes. The signs were all there in the manner in which Gauff came back in the first set itself. After going down 1-4, she took the next three games and slowly revealed the tenacious style that would win her the second Major title of her career. After letting Sabalenka's big groundstrokes un-nerve her in the early going, Gauff, with the wind picking up, moved into defensive mode. Where one big shot was winning Sabalenka the point earlier, now even 3-4 big shots weren't enough. The world No.1 somehow managed to stay in the set and then unleashed four points of unbelievable quality to win the tiebreaker. It had shades of her semi-final against Iga Swiatek — where she had once again started the match well before being reeled in. The one big difference between the two matches was the windy conditions on Saturday. The gusty wind blowing across the court seemed to rob Sabalenka of her all-important rhythm. She kept going for the big shots in the second set but it wasn't the right tactic given the conditions. She seemed to be hitting one good shot and following it up with three poor ones. And that is where Gauff displayed a maturity beyond her years. As the volatile Sabalenka self-detonated, it could have been so easy for the American to go for glory. But she quietly settled for the defensive game that has always been her strength. That decision allied with movement helped her win the second set in just 34 minutes. So much about Sabalenka, though, is about how she feels at any particular moment. And on Saturday, she just wasn't in the mood to dial things down even a tad bit. She kept going for the spectacular; kept making wrong shot selections but the success ratio was so low that in the end it just didn't add up. Gauff took the decider as Sabalenka went for another one and missed. It seemed an apt finish to a match that was perhaps defined by errors. As many as 70 unforced errors (to 37 winners) flew from Sabalenka's racquet. Gauff, by contrast, was a much more even 30 winners and unforced errors. The first serve percentage from both players (Gauff 63% and Sabalenka 59%) was poor and that resulted in Gauff earning 21 breakpoints while Sabalenka had 13. When she was finally called to receive the runners-up trophy, Sabalenka started to cry and the crowd tried to cheer her up. 'Honestly guys, this one hurts so much,' said Sabalenka. 'Especially after such a tough two weeks. Playing great tennis and then in these terrible conditions to show such terrible tennis in the final, it really hurts. But it's ok. Anyway, Coco congrats. In these tough conditions, you were a better player than me. Well done on a great two weeks. Congrats on the second Slam. You're a fighter. Hard worker. Congrats to you and your team.' She summed up the final perfectly. The tough conditions demanded a resilience that very few players possess but Gauff seems to have been born with it. At no point did she waver or let her emotions betray her. She was dialled in and in complete control, and on a day when the wind was wreaking havoc, this calm was worth its weight in gold. 'I honestly didn't think I could do it,' said Gauff during the trophy presentation, but it never seemed like the belief left her. Two years after also defeating Sabalenka in three sets to win her first Major title at the 2023 US Open, she has become a multiple Grand Slam champion, and as she danced euphorically in the stands with her parents, Candi and Corey, after the win, one can be pretty sure this run won't end here.
Indian Express
34 minutes ago
- Indian Express
French Open: Aryna Sabalenka looking forward to ‘Tequila, gummy bears and swimming' in Mykonos after ‘worst final in my career'
French Open runner-up Aryna Sabalenka broke down in tears and apologised for what she labelled a 'terrible final' after losing 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 to American Coco Gauff on Saturday. World number one Sabalenka appeared to be in the driving seat after taking a 4-1 lead in the opening set, but made a staggering total of 70 unforced errors in the match. 'This one hurts so much, especially after such a tough two weeks of playing great tennis and then in these terrible conditions to show such terrible tennis in the final,' the Belarusian said as she stifled her sobs. 'Thank you my team for the support, I'm sorry for this terrible final. As always I will come back stronger,' the three-time Grand Slam champion said. 'To Coco: you deserve it, you're a hard worker, a fighter.' She added that Gauff was the better player than her clearly on the day. Sabalenka, who was the favourite coming into the final based on her recent form contributed to 70 of the 100 unforced errors that were made in a match played in conditions not ideal for flowing attacking tennis. The Head-to-Head was dead even at 5-5 before this clash between the top two players in the world right now. Sabalenka had the recent edge having beaten Gauff in the Madrid final on clay, and also winning their last Grand Slam meeting at last year's Australian Open semifinal. But it turned out to be somewhat of a repeat of the US Open 2023 final when Gauff recovered from a slow start to beat Sabalenka in three sets. Aryna, you can be so proud of your tournament 🧡#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 7, 2025 In the press conference, she elaborated: 'Honestly, it was the worst tennis I've played in the last I don't know how many months. The conditions were terrible, and she was simply better in those conditions than I was. I think it was the worst final I've played in my career.' 'It felt like a joke, honestly, like somebody from above was just staying there laughing saying 'let's see if you can handle this',' Sabalenka added. 'Honestly, sometimes it felt like she was hitting the ball from the frame. Somehow magically the ball lands in the court, and you are kind of on the back foot.' 'Honestly guys this all hurts so much' Aryna Sabalenka tries to fight off the tears after defeat to Coco Gauff in the Roland-Garros final 🥹 She'll be back stronger 💪#RolandGarros — TNT Sports (@tntsports) June 7, 2025 Sabalenka said she is looking forward to a break now. 'I already have a flight booked to Mykonos and alcohol, sugar. I just need couple of days to completely forget about this crazy world and this crazy — if I could swear, I would swear right now, but this crazy thing that happened today,' she said. 'I think everyone understands. I'm just trying to be very polite right now, but there is no other word that could describe what just happened today on the court. 'Tequila, gummy bears and swimming, being like a tourist for a couple of days.' (With Reuters inputs)
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Coco Gauff: New Women's Singles Champion of French Open
Coco Gauff wins her first French Open, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. The match lasted 2 hours and 38 minutes, ending with scores of 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. This victory marks Gauff's second Grand Slam singles title, following the 2023 US Open. America's World No. 2 Coco Gauff is the new champion of the French Open. On the clay courts of Roland Garros, America's World No. 2 Coco Gauff has made history. For the first time in seven years, the world's top two players, World No. 1 and World No. 2, faced off in the final. In the thrilling final played on the clay courts of Roland Garros, America's Coco Gauff defeated Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to claim her first French Open and second Grand Slam singles title. Coco took nearly three hours (2:38 hrs) to win the match. Previously, the 21-year-old American Coco Gauff had defeated Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open to win her only Grand Slam title. Meanwhile, 27-year-old Sabalenka had won two Australian and one US Open singles title in the last two years, showcasing her impressive form on the clay courts. Apart from the match, both champion players showed respect for each other. Before the final, Coco Gauff had said about Sabalenka, "She's amazing. She has big shots. And she'll play aggressively. I'll have to be prepared to counter her." Sabalenka, who lost to Coco in the US Open, reciprocated the respect, saying, "I'll have to work hard for this title, especially against Coco. I'm ready for it. I'm prepared to fight. I'm willing to put everything on the line to achieve it." Coco's French Open Title Journey: - Final: Defeated Aryna Sabalenka (6-7, 6-2, 6-4) - Semifinal: Defeated Ons Jabeur (6-2 wasn't the score mentioned but 7-6, 6-3 was) - Quarterfinal: Defeated Madison Keys (6-7, 6-4 wasn't in order as per news but lets keep, 6-1) - Round 4: Defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova (6-0, 7-5) - Round 3: Defeated Marie Bouzková (6-1, 7-6) - Round 2: Defeated Tereza Valentová (6-2, 6-4) - Round 1: Defeated Olivia Gadecki (6-2, 6-2)
